Motorists urged to keep licence safe as drivers spend £20million in replacements
The vehicle financing company Select Car Leasing has revealed that UK drivers spend more than £20million replacing their driving licence between September 2022 and August 2023.
According to data sourced by the DVLA, 1,015,048 licences were reported as lost or stolen, approximately 2.5 percent of all UK licence holders.
Graham Conway, expert at Select Car Leasing, warned that drivers should keep an eye on their licence, particularly when attending parties over Christmas.
He explained: “It’s all too easy to lose sight of your driving licence, particularly when you’re out and about attending Christmas and New Year parties, and potentially using your ID card as a way to prove your age at the bar.
“It’s also a point in time when thieves will be highly active, so everyone needs to keep their wits about them. And if you do lose your driving licence card, it’s essential that you report it to the DVLA immediately.”
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Select Car Leasing highlighted that, in the 12-month period, London saw the most motorists report their driving licence as missing.
However, whilst 108,000 motorists reported their licence as lost or stolen, Edinburgh had the highest number of missing licences per capita.
Other common cities for lost licences include Birmingham and Manchester, with drivers spending £650,000 and £455,000 for replacements respectively.
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Graham noted that motorists who lose their driving licence not only need to pay £20 to buy a replacement, but they could also be victim to identity theft.
He continued: “A driving licence holds lots of personal information and could be used by the unscrupulous to commit identity theft.
“No-one wants to be £20 out of pocket at this time of year, either, which is the cost of a replacement licence.”
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